Can you be gay and still love Jesus? Can you be LGBTQ+ and Christian? Yes—and this episode of You Can Be Both walks through exactly how. 🏳️🌈✝️ In this honest, vulnerable conversation, I share my journey of balancing my relationship with God while being gay—and how I moved through deconstruction, becoming conscious, and reconstruction of my faith. If you’re a gay Christian, queer Christian, LGBTQ+ believer, or someone with church hurt or religious trauma, this is for you. We talk about: -Why you can be both LGBTQ+ and Christian -How I deconstructed beliefs about hell, patriarchy, Sodom and Gomorrah, and “clobber verses” -The historical context of the Bible, patriarchy, and how sexuality was viewed 2,000 years ago -Why many teachings about homosexuality in the Bible were about power, patriarchy, and abuse—not loving, consensual LGBTQ+ relationships -What it really means to be Christlike vs. just wearing the label “Christian” -How childhood wounds, trauma, and church culture shape how we see God, ourselves, and other people -Letting go of shame and seeing God as compassionate, loving, and not out to punish you -How loving, healthy, same-sex relationships can actually draw us closer to God 🧱 3 Big Parts of This Episode: 1️⃣ Deconstruction – Questioning what we were taught about: • Hell, eternal punishment & fear-based salvation • The patriarchy in Scripture and how women were treated as property • Sodom and Gomorrah, rape vs consensual sex, and what the text actually says 2️⃣ Becoming Conscious – • Seeing our patterns, trauma, and “stories” we carry from childhood • How we project unhealed pain into our relationships • Why being a Christian means doing the work: therapy, self-reflection, growth, and learning to truly love people 3️⃣ Reconstruction – • Rebuilding faith around Jesus’s character: justice, mercy, compassion, and inclusion • Asking: “Is this destructive or is this life-giving?” instead of “Is this on a rule list?” • Understanding that a loving, affirming gay relationship can be holy, healthy, and aligned with God’s heart If you’ve ever asked: • “Is it a sin to be gay?” • “Can I be gay and still be a Christian?” • “Does God hate me for being LGBTQ?” • “How do I heal from religious trauma and church hurt?” …this episode will help you feel less alone and more grounded in knowing you can be both. 💛👇 ✨ You are loved. You are not broken. You can be both. If this resonated with you: • Drop a comment and share where you’re at in your faith and sexuality journey • Turn on notifications so you don’t miss new episodes • Share this with a gay Christian, someone with religious trauma, or a friend who’s deconstructing 🔔 Subscribe for weekly encouragement, faith exploration, healing conversations, and LGBTQ Christian support.To submit your own testimony or question click this link: https://bit.ly/49G1tpzFor sponsorship opportunities email: youcanbebothpodcast@gmail.com. Follow my other socials on TikTok and Instagram!@YouCanBeBoth @LaurenLanzaretta #LGBTQ #Faith #YouCanBeBoth #laurenlanzaretta #Christianity #SelfAcceptance #ComingOut #Spirituality #Healing #authenticity
